Parachute pack



May 9, 1939. n-H 2,157,505

PARACHUTE PACK Original Filed March 31, 1957 INVENTOR.

F103 [5 Em-Lfh %/2/ W ATTORNEYS Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca 2,157,505 PARACHUTE rAcK Floyd Smith, Bufialo, N. Y., assignor to Irving Air Chute Co. Inc-., Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in parachutes. I v

The present application is a division of my application Serial No. 134,109, filed March 31, 1937, now Patent 2,130,569.

The present application relates to improvements in parachute packs of the emergency type. and has particular reference to a semi-soft pack having a compact arrangement of details which will permit of an efficient packing and release of a parachute canopy with a high factor of safety.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the follow ing detailed description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 shows an individual carrying the compact emergency pack.

Figure 2 is an inner view of the improved pack container opened and showing the relation of the shroud line assemblage therein.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but with the shroud lines completely assembled therein and showing themanner in which .certain flaps protect the shroud lines against liability of entangling with coupling parts of the container.

Figure 4 is an external view of the container of the improved pack in an opened flattened condition.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the coupling members of the pack.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken through the coupling, showing its assemblage on the improved pack; the view being taken substantially on the line 6--6 of Figure 4.

Referring to the modified form of parachute pack shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, the letter C may generally designate the pack which may be applied to a single point quick release harness D, such as shown in Figure 1. This pack is also of the soft pack variety, except that it is only stitfened at the locations where the couplings are permanently connected to the pack. In this type of pack the couplings of the parachute canopy are permanently connected to the container so that the latter will not float away. However, the pack is otherwise of the soft variety and free of wire frame or other frame stiffening expedients.

The pack includes a flexible fabric container I36 having a base I3 I (not wire reinforced along its boundaries) This pack also includes the usual side flaps I32 and flaps I33. They have the usual eyelets, grommet pins, and conventional steel stays I33.

rip cord apparatus now in standard use. The handle I40 for the rip cord MI is releasably mounted in a pocket I42 upon a flap I33 of the container. The pack is of rather roll shape appearance and it is only stifiened along the longi- 5 tudinal axis of the base I3I of the pack. The flaps I33 are provided with longitudinal flexible A narrow elongated wireframe I60 of rectangular shape is sewed by means of a flap in permanent position on the bottom I3I' of the container. Button-hole like slots I6I are provided in alignment along the axis of the base I3I', through which the coupling parts I63 are slipped. These coupling parts I63 have an external loop I64 which cooperates in a complel5 mentary coupling relation with the snap fasteners 34 of the harness, andinternally of the pack they each have an elongated eye I65 through which the shroud lines are connected. These eyes I65 open transversely to the longitudinal axis of the base I3I, and the shroud lines are divided into two parts and suitably connected, as shown at I'IO in Figure 2 of the drawing, thru the eyes I65. The coupling parts I63 are themselves connected by cable means I13 to insure that if only one coupling part I63 is connected to only one of the snap fasteners of the harness, there will still be an equal distribution of load shock to all of the shroud lines of the parachute when the latter is opened during a drop. The coupling parts I 63 maintain their transverse fixed immovable relation upon the rigidly framed portion of the base I 3 I by means of detachable rigid preferably metal retainer pieces I I6 which, as shown in Figure 6, are'slipped through close fitting openings I" in the coupling parts I63, and maintain theeye portions I64 01' said coupling parts in definitely spaced outstanding fixed relation upon the rigid portion of the container. If desired a handle I80 may be placed on the exterior of the base I3I to facilitate carrying'of the pack, as shown in Figure 1.

Novel means is provided for packing the shroud lines in the pack and for guiding the shroud lines against disarrangement or entanglement, either with respect to one another or with respect to the parachute canopy. To that end internally of the container elongated guard flaps I85 are sewed or otherwise connected upon the base of the pack container at the outer ends of the coupling parts I63, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing, which may fold over the eye portions I65 of the couplings I 63, within the pack,

in order to guard the shroud lines, and prevent entanglement thereof with respect to each other and with respect to the coupling parts I83, as will be apparent from Figure 3 of the drawing. 'ihe base l3i' at each end thereof, and laterally of the rigid frame portion thereof is provided with a series of pockets or tabs 9%, which permit the bight ends of the shroud lines to be tucked therein, with the shroud lines folded zig-zag, in order to permit their ready deployment. As shown in Figure 2 of the drawing the shroud lines are bunched together at their ends adjacent the couplings l63 and are first foldedinto one of the pockets I and then extended back and forth zig-zag in substantial parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the base iti, and of course in substantial parallelism with the line in which the couplings I63 lie. Thus it is to he noted that the shroud lines are folded on a hexible portion of the base Hi and in position so that when the base is distorted, due to close compacting and packing of the folded parachute and shroud lines the lines will still lie parallel and in a straight line without bending, so that there will be no possibility of entanglement with respect to each other.

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In an emergency parachute pack the combination of a container having a coupling secured thereto and provided with an interior portion and an exterior rigid outstanding portion,

answer a parachute having shroud lines, means con-v meeting said shroud lines interiorly of the container to said coupling, a guard flap secured on the container for positioning directly over the interior portion of said coupling, and means for folding and retaining the shroud lines in the container in guarded relation by said flap with respect to said coupling.

2. In an emergency parachute pack a container having a plurality of fixed coupling parts thereon, a parachute having shroud lines, means connecting said shroud lines in bunched relation upon said couplings, a separate cable construction connecting said couplings together, and pocketing means on thecontainer for housing said shroud lines in lengths which run parallel with the cable that connects said coupling parts together.

3. In an emergency parachute pack a container having a flexible base portion and closure means therefor, a pair of afixed rigid coucoupling parts.

FLOYD SMITH. 

